Imitation snow.



UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

MARTIN L. BEISTLE, OF SHIPPENSB'URG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMITATION SNOW.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN L. BEISTLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shippensburg, in the county of Cumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Imitation Snow, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a composition of matter intended for use as an imitation snow, upon Christmas trees, for holiday decorations, and the like.

It is an object of the invention to produce an article in which are combined attractive and natural appearance, excellent clinging qualities, and cheapness of manufacture.

The invention will be fully described in the following specification, and the scope of protection contemplated will appear from the claims.

In carrying out my invention I provide a mixture of fire-proofed raw cotton, asbestos, and flaked mica, in about the following proportions, viz., fire-proofed raw cotton, fifty per cent; asbestos, forty-five per cent; flaked mica, five per cent.

It has been heretofore proposed to use as an imitation snow, a mixture of asbestos and mica. This composition was not satisfactory however, because in the first place the asbestos is a relatively expensive material in any event, and in the second place because the imitation snow of this composition would not string out long enough, because of the short fiber of the asbestos (it being preferable of course to use the short fiber asbestos because the long fiber variety is much more expensive). It has also been suggested that a mixture of cotton and mica might be used, but this is objectionable for the reason that the cotton does not have the clinging qualities which are necessary in order that it may stick to the branches of a Christmas tree, or the like.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

A mixture of asbestos, flre-proofed raw cotton and flaked mica, however, in about the proportions stated, is free from the disadvantages of the mixtures above referred to. The bulk of the mixture is fire-proofed raw cotton, which is relatively inexpensive. The asbestos content makes up in the mixture for what the cotton lacks in the way of clinging qualities and, at the same time, it is possible to employ the comparatively cheap short fiber asbestos, and the cotton, in turn, on account of its relatively longer fiber, makes up in fluffiness, bulk and hanging qualities what the asbestos, on account of its short fiber, lacks. The mica is of course added to the mixture in order to give sparkle to it; and of course all of the elements which go to make up the mixture are, in themselves and in their combination, fireproof, so that the imitation snow thus made is a perfectly safe decoration.

I claim:

1. An imitation snow comprising a combination of fire-proofed raw cotton, asbestos and flaked mica.

2. An imitation snow comprising the combination of raw cotton, asbestos fiber and flaked mica.

3. An imitation snow, a body of fireproofed raw cotton constituting the bulk of the mixture, a quantity of asbestos giving clinging quality to the mixture, and flaked mlca.

4. An imitation snow comprising fifty per cent. of fire-proofed raw cotton, forty-five per cent. of asbestos and five per cent. of flaked mica.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN L. BEISTLE.

Witnesses:

EMILY J. HAMILTON, RUTH A. GUIDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

